


Good Company

by KNACC



Series: Love the Long Way Around [4]
Category: Borderlands
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-16 00:03:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3466997
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KNACC/pseuds/KNACC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Vault Hunters have a party after they finally defeat Handsome Jack.  Maya talks Krieg into sticking around to keep her company.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Company

* * *

 

Jack was dead.  Krieg had watched as Lilith seared the bastard’s brain out of his head and a strange sort of peace had washed over him.  He didn’t feel normal, didn’t really expect to feel that way ever again but he felt a bit calmer, maybe even a little happy.  It was nice.A few hours later, after the remaining vault hunters had dragged themselves back to Sanctuary and cleaned up their wounds, an impromptu party of sorts begins. Headquarters quickly becomes filled with loud voices, pounding music and alcohol which Krieg takes as his cue to disappear.

He's turning to go when he feels the weight of a small, steady hand on his arm.  He turns and sees Maya, looking up at him, expression warm.  "It's your party too, you know.  You don’t have to go if you don’t want to."  She smiles for a second then, after meeting his eyes, glances at the ground and continues, "Not that you have to come if, you know, parties aren’t your thing.  To be honest, they’re not really mine."  She glances back up at him and shrugs, "So yeah, I just wanted you to know that if you decided to stick around, I'd be glad for the company."

Krieg looks down at her and cocks his head, what she just said sinking into his brain slowly.   _Did she just ask us to stay... for her?  To keep her company?  Why would she want us over other people?_ As Krieg’s mind reels, he blinks his good eye at her and she just meets his gaze and smiles.  He knows, deep down, that there’s no way she really means it, knows that she must be saying it just to be nice to him but he can’t keep his chest from clenching at her kindness all the same.  So in spite of his worries that a loud, exciting party might not be the best place for someone like him, he decides to stay, shouting, “CRUSH THE JAM,“ in place of a coherent response.  

Maya just looks at him, and after a beat, smiles and says, “Thanks, I appreciate it,” like she understands perfectly well what he’d meant.  She heads over to a nearby couch, glancing over her shoulder at him as she goes and calling out to him when he doesn’t follow her.  “There’s room for you here too, if you want.”

He plods over without even a bit of encouragement from himself and sits down alarming close to her, the worn couch sinking under his weight and shifting her even closer to him.

The moment they touch, she springs to her feet then turns to him as she says, “Actually, I’m going to go grab us something to drink quick.  Be right back,” before heading off into the next room.

 _See what you did this time?_ He grumbles to himself, _She’s just being nice and you’re weirding her out.  Chill out loverboy_.

He feels himself start to pout but then there’s a series of loud stomping noise and Salvador comes up the stairs, carrying a keg over one shoulder and chatting with Brick who is right behind him and carrying another two kegs. The moment Sal sees Krieg, a big grin splits his face as he shouts, “EHHH, big guy, you sticking around?  You’d normally have vamoosed by now.”  Salvador walks up to Krieg and shifts the keg on his shoulder before slapping Krieg on the shoulder with his free hand.  “You stay right there, buddy, I’m gonna grab you a beer once I set this keg down.” He grins even bigger if that possible and saunters off.

Brick is just about to follow him when he pauses and says, “You did good out there, Slab. Don’t let nobody tell you you don’t deserve this, alright?” before he disappears as well.

“FRESH MEAT,” Krieg shouts after them, unsure of whether he means it as a greeting or a confirmation that he’d like a drink. He’s pretty sure that getting the psycho drunk isn’t a good idea but it’s possible that with how mutated he is, alcohol won’t work on him anymore.  Still, he’d rather not test that theory tonight.

A minute or two later, Maya reappears, a paper cup in each hand, saying, “Sorry that took so long.  Finding something without alcohol in this place was harder than expected.”  She holds one of the cups out to him. “I forgot to ask what you wanted but hopeful cranberry juice will be okay.”

Krieg tilts his head at the drink, internally relieved she hadn’t brought him booze. Just take the cup, nice and easy.   _You can do this, it’s just like opening a door or helping Gaige up._  He reaches out and wraps one giant hand gingerly around the cup, trapping Maya’s hand beneath his while internally smacking himself in the face for being so awkward.

But Maya just smiles and says, “Yeah, these cups are a bit small for you. Let me just,” she sets the other cup down on a nearby table and uses her now free hand to hold the bottom of the cup as she extracts her other hand from underneath his.  When he’s finally the only one left hold the cup, she just sits herself down in her still alarmingly close to him spot  and picks back up her cup as if everything is perfectly normal.

Krieg looks from Maya to the cup she’s given him, noting it’s deep red color.  “THE GIFT OF BLOOD,” he shouts, sniffing at the cup experimentally.

“This will be a lot sweeter than blood... and less metallic but you might like it anyway.  I’ll try and get you something else if you don’t though.” She shrugs and takes a sip of her own drink, wrinkling her nose as it hits her palette.  “I swear I watched Moxxi mix this up but it still tastes like it’s half turpentine.  I think I might just not like vodka very much.”

Krieg looks back down at his cup, obviously unsure of what to do.   _You drink it idiot.  It’s just like water._  He’s starting to bring the cup up to his mouth when he realizes that he’s somehow forgotten the step where he moves his mask out of the way. _No don’t_ , he thinks but the rest of him seems to have remembered that masks and drinking don’t mix since he brings the cup back down and growls at it quietly, seemingly torn between moving his mask and setting down the present the pretty lady has given him.

“Oh,” Maya says, “I didn’t think about that.  I can take the drink back for a minute if that will help.”

Krieg growls, “No takesies backsies,” and yanks on the bottom edge of the mask hard.  It stings as it shifts up since the straps are still on tight but since his mouth is finally exposed, he slams the cup into his face and drinks the entire thing in one gulp.  The drink consumed, he pulls the mask back into place, shouting, “SWEET MEATS AS ALWAYS,” before setting the cup down carefully like it’s precious.

Now that his mask is back in place and he can finally see Maya again, he can tell she’s staring at him or more specifically his mouth in what is probably horror since she’s never seen any of his face before.  He’s not even quite sure what he looks like anymore but he’d bet anything his skin is scarred and uneven like the face of the moon.  She notices he’s looking at her and her eyes fly back up to his, her cheeks pinkening slightly.  After a moments awkward silence, she says, “I can get go you another one if you’d like.”

“No need amigo,” Salvador says as he comes back into the room, “I’ve already got that beer I promised him.” He waves the bottle back and forth enthusiastically before he sets in down in front of Krieg.

“I’m not sure he drinks alcohol,” Maya starts to say before Sal interrupts her with “Don’t be silly, everyone drinks.”

“Mordecai’s not suppose to,” Maya frowns, “Lilith will kill you if she finds out you've given him a drink.”

“Fair point,” Sal nods, “so everyone but Mordecai drinks.”

Maya shakes her head, “I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen Zer0 drink anything, let alone alcohol.”

“Ahhh but he’s a robot, they’re like that. And anyway he seems to like the one I gave him earlier.”

Maya leans around the door frame to look in the next room, “I think he’s just carrying it around so you don’t give him another one.  Or so Gaige doesn’t try and drink it.”  She glances back at Salvador, her tone concerned, “How many do you think she’s had already?”

Sal glances at Gaige before turning back to Maya and shrugging, “One, I’m pretty sure.  She’s just still so small and can’t handle alcohol.”

“Alright,” Maya says, “Do you think you could you help me keep an eye on her so she doesn’t drink herself into a coma or something?”

“That is how you learn... but yes.  I’m pretty sure everyone will be willing to help out so our cosita doesn’t party too hard.”

“You’re probably right,” Maya nods, “Thanks.”

“No problem,” Salvador grins then whips around as some unintelligible shouting in the next room draw his attention.  He smiles wider and shouts back, “You put your money where your fist is, pendejo,” before heading off into the other room without another word.

“SMACK,“ Krieg shouts after him.

Maya turns back to Krieg, the corners of her mouth pulling into a slight smile.  “Sorry about that.  I know I shouldn’t treat her like she’s such a kid but she still really is and she makes bad decisions so I worry about her.  Don’t tell her I said any of that though, alright?

 _Tell her we’d do anything for her.  That we’d rather die than betray her trust._  “PUNCTURE MY EYES WITH PINS,” Krieg shouts causing him to inwardly groan.  

Maya looks confused for second then nods. “Thanks, I knew I could count on you.”

 _You really fucked that expression up,_ Krieg grumbles, _I’m amazed she understood you_.

“I also wanted you to know that I wasn’t trying to say you can’t drink and I didn’t mean to seem like I was speaking for you; I just think it’s bad to assume everyone drinks alcohol is all.  You should really feel free to drink whatever you want though.  Hell if you like alcohol, maybe you can give me some advice for the next time I get a drink.”

 _Please don’t drink the beer, please don’t drink the beer,_ Krieg chants.   _We have no idea how we’ll react to that and the last thing we need is you less inhibited._  He tilts his head at her then looks from the beer bottle to the empty paper cup and back again before picking up the paper cup and holding it out towards her.  “SQUEEZE THE BONES!” _Why do you make everything so creepy, just ask for more juice like a normal person._

Maya starts to chuckles, “Alright then, one cranberry juice coming up.”

***

To Krieg’s infinite amazement, Maya seems perfectly content to hang out with him on a couch rather than mingle or at the very least, ditch him for better company. The evening goes on and they settle into a mostly quiet camaraderie, alternating between her commenting on stuff as it becomes relevant and him shouting mostly random things in response.  She always responds back like their perfectly acceptable answers though and Kreig is eternally grateful for her kindness.  

In spite of their own immobility, everyone but Zer0 ends up stopping by to chat and even though most of them are only there to talk to Maya, no one gives him any dirty looks which is more than he deserves really.  At one point in the evening, Gaige, who seems to somehow have gotten amazingly drunk inspite of her minders, gets Zer0 to dance with her and Krieg would be surprised if he hadn’t noticed the cold bastard’s soft spot for the girl a few days ago. Then Brick ropes Lilith into join in too while Salvador tries to recruit Mordecai to no avail before settling for Axton.  The pairs are composed of awkward height combinations but no one seems to mind as they dance along to some club tune Krieg’s never heard before.  The air fills with laughter and hope and Krieg can’t think of many people in the world who needed to unwind as much as the eight people in front of him.  Maya glances from the dancers to Krieg and smiles and he’s not sure but he’d bet she’s thinking the exact same thing.

***

Several hours later, the party is finally winding down and most people have slunk off to find someplace quiet to sleep.  Maya isn’t one of them though.  Instead of leaving and finding a nice place to crash, she’s still sitting on the couch with Krieg, just reading a book peacefully like being around him is exactly where she wants to be.  He’s even pretty sure she’s trying to make it so that he can read over her shoulder if he wants to since she’s turning the pages exceptionally slow for such a prolific reader.  It’s been at least seven minutes since she turned the last page though and Krieg is starting to worry that something’s wrong when he feels the full weight of her body push against his arm, her cheek pressed into his shoulder.

Krieg freezes, startled by her proximity and how his gut curls at the contact.  He blinks down at her, sky blue hair cascading down his dirty skin like a rushing waterfall. “What’s her steak?” Krieg says, not quite shouting but not at normal speaking volume yet either.  There’s a long silence and then Krieg starts to growl. “Little man loves to flap his gums until my meat asks something.”

 _Wait, are you seriously talking to me?_  Krieg thinks, _To the voice in your head? The one you ask to shut up all the time?_

Krieg growls and knocks on his own skull, “Knock, knock, tiny man,” punctuating each word with a hit.

Krieg rolls their eye before he starts shouting, or as close as he gets nowadays. _She’s just tired so she fell asleep.  You’ve all been up for a few days so it’s amazing you all made it this long.  I guess you’ve just never seen her this way before._

Krieg seems to pause as if he’s thinking it over.  “Not meat?” He glances down at her.

 _No, just sleeping,_ he thinks.

He smiles and brushes his pointer finger along the top of her head, mumbling, “Pretty, pretty lady.”  They stare at Maya for awhile, feeling the soft texture of her hair with their rough fingers before he says loudly, “A sweet cage of softness.”

 _Yeah, we are kind trapped since we don’t really want to wake her up.  You should try talking quieter.  And grab her a blanket, it’s not exactly warm in here but do it carefully or else you’ll_ \- Krieg realizes he’s said the last part too late since he’s already pivoting his torso, his free arm extended towards the blanket on the far end of the couch.  He feels Maya flop into his lap, then watches in vague horror as she shift slightly, adjusting her arms into a more comfortable position before nuzzling her cheek against his thigh and going back to sleep.

_Ohhh this is… maybe not so good.  She’s not going to be happy when she realizes where she ended up sleeping, we should maybe-_

“Shhhhh,” Krieg says, bringing a finger up to his mask.  He places the blanket over her back and watches it move as she breaths.  He eventually decides to not worry about it.  Who knows, maybe Maya will be as inexplicably chill about this as she been about everything else so far. Tentatively, he sets one big forearm on her back before pushing his fingers into her hair.  As he plays with her soft, radiant tresses, he feels his eyelids grow heavier until finally he falls asleep.

***

Maya drifts awake, the remnants of sleep still keeping her mind foggy and out of focus.  She realizes slowly that there is a weight on her back, a large hand tangled in her hair and that her face is pressed into a warm expanse of orange fabric.   _Krieg_ , she thinks drowsily and smiles, a part of her aware that if she was more awake, she might be a bit embarrassed to be sleeping all over him.  But for now, half asleep and feeling the safest she ever has, there’s no place in the universe she’d rather be.  She yawns, rubs her face against the rough fabric of his pants and drifts back off to sleep, content and warm.


End file.
